AveDesk is not freeware, but so-called donationware. This means that if you like AveDesk and use it on a regular basis, you have the freedom to donate a small amount of cash to support the development of AveDesk. It also means that you cannot distribute AveDesk in any form without explicit permission of the author (Andreas Verhoeven).

But this does not appear to be your conventional donationware license.

1) The program does not nag for donation.
2) The wording "you have the FREEDOM to donate" means donation is optional.
3) The author seems to be doing it just so to avoid unauthorized distribution (???).

So do you think I should remove it from the database? Please vote above.

This means that you are NOT FREE to use this application if you wish, but that YOU SHOULD DONATE a small amount of money to the AveDesk authors IF YOU like AveDesk and USE IT FREQUENTLY. (Emphasis mine.)

Although he seems to say he won't go after people if they do not donate. He's made his wishes known.

AveDesk is not freeware, but so-called donationware. This means that if you like AveDesk and use it on a regular basis, you have the freedom to donate a small amount of cash to support the development of AveDesk. It also means that you cannot distribute AveDesk in any form without explicit permission of the author (Andreas Verhoeven).

But this does not appear to be your conventional donationware license.

1) The program does not nag for donation.
2) The wording "you have the FREEDOM to donate" means donation is optional.
3) The author seems to be doing it just so to avoid unauthorized distribution (???).

So do you think I should remove it from the database? Please vote above.

I say let it be there. The license doesn't interfere with you using it does it.

The second issue has to do with Andreas' definition of Donationware. As I understand the term Donationware, you are free to donate, or not. But, I get hung up on Andreas's language, "... you are not free to use...". By saying that you are "free to" and that you "should" donate, and that he wants "no-one to run away with AveDesk for free.", he seems to be straddling the fence between Donationware and Shareware.

As for how to list it on TPFC, are other Donationware programs listed? If so, how are they identified? Are uncrippled Shareware programs listed?

Does listing Donationware dilute the Freeware identity of this site? Would listing it blur the distinction between Freeware vs. Donationware?

Here is what the Readme.txt file (dated 10/24/2005 in the ZIP file) says:

AveDesk 1.3
===========
copyright (c) Andreas Verhoeven 2005
This application or parts of this application may not be distributed without explicit approval of Andreas Verhoeven.

0. DONATIONS

AveDesk is not freeware, but DONATIONWARE. This means that you are not free to use this application if you wish,
but that you should donate a small amount of money to the AveDesk authors if you like AveDesk and use it frequently.
Donating is not enforced, it's rather a legal trick to make sure no-one runs away with AveDesk for free .

This is the wording from the Web site:

Donations
AveDesk is not freeware, but so-called donationware. This means that if you like AveDesk and use it on a regular basis, you have the freedom to donate a small amount of cash to support the development of AveDesk. It also means that you cannot distribute AveDesk in any form without explicit permission of the author (Andreas Verhoeven).

There are a lot of other freeware that asks for donation besides Web Downloader. Some do it through their website, some do it through popups, some do it via PayPal buttons in the app window itself.

Technically, there is nothing to stop you from donating to a freeware. I have yet to see any freeware author forbid donation!

Come to think of it, I don't think there is any issue with AveDesk's license. If you have "the freedom to donate", how is it different from the other "please donate" freeware?

It only becomes a problem if the license expliciting says you must donate after using the app for x number of days (true donationware?), or a dialog box keeps popping up and begging you to donate (nagware).

The philosophy behind my classing my work as 'donationware' is simple...

* 'Donationware - People are intelligent and good enough to value a product themselves, by it's relative merits, and relate that to their personal financial reserves, before making a donation.'

I should qualify this with something (for no other reason than I have a habit of qualifying everything), so I'll say this...

* 'If you download and use donationware, but do not make a donation, then you should make a sensible post on a forum somewhere; preferably mine. OMG WTF IS THAT FFS 321 8p'

That's it! - except to say that many, if not all, global software directories do not recognize 'donationware' as a valid software licence-type, so they can only list it as FREEWARE, and that inevitably means I don't get any money [hump].